All this lunging and chasing cars while barking hysterically is a really big problem. When Katie and I are out and about she generally behaves, probably because she’s out of her element and doesn’t feel a need to defend her place. But back at home she reverts to her crazy self. Especially when it’s the mail lady’s diesel truck. That starts and stops, revving up that noisy engine at each mailbox.
So I’ve been trying to get her out to the driveway whenever we hear the mail truck approaching. We have three times each day that she goes by; the first time is on the side road as she approaches the subdivision. It’s our first notice that she’s on her way. Then she comes back our way, putting mail in the boxes across the street. And finally, once she gets way up to the end of our road she comes back down our side of the street and puts mail in our box! That’s just the WORST! I can often get Katie to sit quietly and wait when she goes by on the side street, but it’s just about impossible to keep her in a sit when she’s on our street Mom! The crazy dangerous mail lady is ON OUR STREET!
So here’s the story, in Katie’s own words:
I’m waiting for that mail truck to come by…
There it goes!!! Up the other side of street! GET IT!!! GET IT!!!
Ok. Mom made me hang out further up the driveway, away from the road in the hopes that putting some space between us will help me concentrate on sitting when that truck comes back. Yea. Like that’s gonna work.
NOW she has decided I wasn’t far enough away, so she’s making me sit way over here in the front yard. Sheesh! This is mortifying. I can do this, what’s she thinking anyway? (I hope this involves treats!)
Hey! I hear the truck coming!
It’s coming, it’s coming! I see it!
I’m SITTING! I’m SITTING! SEE!?!?!?! SEE!!!!! And it’s RIGHT HERE!!! She’s TOUCHING MY MAILBOX!!!!
I did it!!! Yes I DID! WAIT!!! WAIT!!! The truck is moving AWAY! I’m trying to sit. Yes I am. I’m TRYING! BUT I CAN’T CONTROL IT ANYMORE! I HAVE TO BAAAAAAAAAARK!!!!!!!!









August 29, 2010 at 6:51 am
Oh Katie
I know the dilemma you’re facing.
The dogs go crazy everytime the mailman comes and puts mail in our box!
Eva goes crazy in the garden everytime a CAR passes. She runs to and fro about 3 times after the car has left. sigh.
I guess it’s a sheltie thing.
You’re doing a great job though. Don’t give up!
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August 29, 2010 at 10:58 am
Good for you guys getting out there to tackle the mailman problem! I suffer from that maniacal barking and running back and forth when our mailman comes too. We haven’t even begun to address the issue. I am really proud of you Katie for being able to sit at least for a moment while you got mail. Next time you can build on that and sit without barking for two moments! LOL! Best part of these challenges for the dogs is we get lots of treats!
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August 29, 2010 at 11:16 am
It’s great that you are working with Katie. Have you ever watched the Dog Whisperer? We use to tape a few episodes to give us some tips
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August 29, 2010 at 11:16 am
well at lease she controlled herself until the very end. Diana
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August 29, 2010 at 3:29 pm
We have the same thing with the big brown truck. It is ridiculous.
Good for you for trying. I have two dogs with a bad habit, I’ve given up on that one for now.
I’m glad you tried the counting this morning and it worked without even doing RP! That’s cool. It must be the change in tone of your voice that makes them curious.
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August 29, 2010 at 4:18 pm
Yea, I think I’m starting to sound like a Mom! And a MAD Mom at that! LOL
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August 29, 2010 at 5:01 pm
Us dogs have to defend our people. We are Dog Dad’s PAS here. PAS stands for Postal Alerting System! BOL.
Us dogs have to alert and defend our people, after all the news stories and talks of people going postal.
Essex & Deacon
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August 29, 2010 at 7:03 pm
Our mailbox is down the road, around the bend, 1/4 mile away, so the girls can’t see our mailperson. However, they know that both Big Brown land FedEx carry dog treats, so they get very excited when they see them, and very disappointed when they don’t come into our driveway.
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August 29, 2010 at 10:18 pm
Love the captions on the pictures. Seems like you did a great job at keeping Katie under threshold until the very end. Good job!
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